The present invention relates, in general, to mineral mining installations and, more particularly, to guides for mineral winning and/or loading machines.
It is well known to attach assemblies to the mineral face side of a scraper-chain conveyor in an underground mine working to provide a guide for a machine, such as a "swordless" plough. The machine or plough is usually driven along the guide with the aid of a chain running in upper and lower passages or channels within the guide itself. The individual assemblies can correspond to the channel sections or pans of the conveyor. The passages can be at least partly covered from the mineral face side by side covers which can be pivotable and/or detachable. These side covers can then provide a ramp-like side surface for the guide. A construction of this type is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 249,315, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,471, assigned to the same assignee as the present application.
A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved guide for a mineral mining machine.